Ratchet wrench

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench including a wrench with one end provided with a pivot hole; a turning knob disposed in the pivot hole of the wrench and containing a dial; a wheel member disposed to the handle of the wrench and containing also a dial; and a turning member with one end disposed to the dial of the turning knob and another end disposed to the dial of the wheel member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a ratchet wrench, and moreparticularly, to an adjustment for rotation direction disposed on theneck of the handle of the wrench.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A dial 92 is pivoted to a wrench 91 and a mechanism allowing positiveand reverse rotation is disposed in one end of the head of the wrench 16of the prior art as illustrated in FIG. 16 of the accompanying drawings.Upon turning the dial 92 for a certain degree, the dial 92 switchesinternal elements in the wrench to turn clockwise or counter-clockwise.However, the prior art fails to provide convenient operation since auser must have his palm of the hand to approach the dial 92 to turn it.Furthermore, the efficiency of executing rapid switch of the operatingdirection of the wrench is compromised because that the user afterhaving changed the holding position of the wrench has to return his handto the original position on the handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A ratchet wrench including a wrench with one end provided with a pivothole; a turning knob disposed in the pivot hole of the wrench andcontaining a dial; a wheel member disposed to the handle of the wrenchand containing also a dial; and a turning member with one end disposedto the dial of the turning knob and another end disposed to the dial ofthe wheel member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first preferred embodimentof the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second preferred embodimentof the present invention,

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a third preferred embodimentof the present invention,

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth preferred embodimentof the present invention,

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a fifth preferred embodimentof the present invention,

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a sixth preferred embodimentof the present invention,

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the sixth preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a seventh preferred embodimentof the present invention,

FIG. 10 is a side view of the seventh preferred embodiment of thepresent invention,

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of A-A taken from FIG. 10,

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of an eighth preferredembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 13 is a side view of the eighth preferred embodiment of the presentinvention,

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of B-B taken from FIG. 13,

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a ninth preferred embodimentof the present invention,

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a ratchet box end wrench of the priorart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a ratchet box end wrench includes a wrench 10provided with at one end a pivot hole 11 and a pinhole 12; a turningknob 20 comprised of a dial 21 and a toothed shoulder 211 is pivoted inthe pivot hole 11 of the wrench 10 to control multiple internal elementsin the wrench 10 to engage positive or reverse turning; a wheel member30 disposed in the pinhole 12 on the wrench 10 and made a central hole32 in the same diameter as that of the pinhole 12 is comprised of awheel dial 31 and a toothed shoulder 311; a turning member 40 having atoothed inner circumference 41 is provided with on end engaged to thetoothed shoulder 211 of the turning knob 20 and another end engaged tothe tooth shoulder 311 of the wheel member 30 linked to the turningmember 40 to drive the turning knob 20; and a pin 50 inserted into thecentral hole 32 of the wheel member 30 to pivot the wheel member 30 intothe pin hole on the wrench 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the turning knob 20 is pivoted into the pivothole 11; the wheel member 30 is pivoted to the pinhole 12, and theturning member 30 is inserted onto both of the turning member 20 and thewheel member 30. The tooth inner circumference 41, the toothed shoulder211 of the turning member and the toothed shoulder 311 of the wheelmember 30 are engaged to one another. As the wheel member 30 is linkedto the turning member 40, the turning knob 20 is driven when the wheelmember 30 is turned. Accordingly, the user switches between the positiveand reverse operation by turning the wheel member 30 without leaving theoriginal holding position on the handle of the wrench 10 as illustratedin FIG. 2 showing a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention as assembled.

In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustratedin FIG. 3, both toothed shoulders 211, 311 respectively of the turningknob 20 and the wheel member 30 are provided with recessed slots toreceive the turning member 40 so that all the turning knob 20, theturning member 40 and the wheel member 30 are coupled to one another.

In a third preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustratedin FIG. 4, a locating skirt 13 surrounding the outer circumference ofthe wrench 10 is fixed to the handle of the wrench 10 and two screwholes 131 are disposed at where between the pinhole 12 and the pivothole 11 on the handle of the wrench 10. A plate 60 provided with twoholes 61 covers upon the locating skirt 13. The turning knob 20, thewheel member 30, and the turning member 40 are disposed on the wrench10; the plate 60 covers upon the locating skirt 13 on the wrench 10 andis secured to the wrench 10 by screwing two fasteners into theirrespective screw holes 131 through both holes 61.

A second wheel member 70 is provided on the other side of the wheelmember 30 in a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention asillustrated in FIG. 5. Wherein, a pin 50 penetrates through the wheelmember 30 and the second wheel member 70 into the pin hole 12 on thewrench 10 so to achieve the purpose of switching between positive andreverse operation of the wrench 10 by turning the second wheel member 70to drive the wheel member 30, the turning member 40, and thus theturning knob 20.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the turning member 40 in a fifth preferredembodiment of the present invention is not made in a closed form. Oneend of the turning member 40 is disposed on the turning knob 20 andengaged with the toothed shoulder 211 of the turning knob 20 while theother end is disposed on the wheel member 30 and engaged with thetoothed shoulder 311 of the wheel member 30. Whereas the wheel member 30is linked to the turning member 40, turning the wheel member 30 willdrive the turning knob 20.

The turning member 40 indicates a half-moon shape in a sixth preferredembodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 7. Wherein, atoothed shoulder 41 on the semi-spherical inner side of the turningmember 40 circles around the turning knob 20. Each of both ends 42 ofthe turning member 40 is connected with a cord 43 and another end of thecord 43 is disposed to a locking hole 33 disposed on the wheel member30. When the wheel member 30 is turned, the cord 43 linked to the wheelmember 30 pulls the turning member 40 to drive the turning knob 20 toturn clockwise or counter-clockwise as desired. FIG. 8 shows a view ofthe sixth preferred embodiment as assembled.

Now referring to FIG. 9 for a seventh preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, a ratchet structure 8 in the wrench 10 includes aratchet 81, a limit gear 82, a lid 83, and a locking ring 84 disposed inthe wrench 10 in sequence; and the adjustment between the positive andthe reverse operation is achieved by turning the turning knob toactivate the limit gear 82 to move in the wrench 10. FIG. 10 shows theseventh preferred embodiment as assembled and FIG. 11 shows a sectionalview of A-A taken from FIG. 10.

In an eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention asillustrated in FIG. 12, the ratchet structure 8 in the wrench 10 isprovided in the wrench 10 in sequence the ratchet 81, a limit gear 82,the lid 83 disposed with a pivot hole 11, and the locking ring 84; theturning knob 20 is pivoted to the pivot hole 11 and fixed to the limitgear 82; and one end of the limit gear 82 is engaged to the ratchet 81and another end holding against the inner edge of the wrench 10 toachieve the same purpose of adjusting for positive or reverse operation.FIG. 13 shows the seventh preferred embodiment as assembled and FIG. 14shows a sectional view of B-B taken from FIG. 13.

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 9 for a ninth preferred embodimentof the present invention, the ratchet structure 8 in the wrench 10 iscomprised of the ratchet 81, two symmetrically arranged limit gears 82,the lid, and the locking ring 84 disposed in the wrench 10 in sequence;the turning knob 20 is pivoted to the pivot hole 11. One limit gear 82is engaged to the ratchet by operating the turning knob 20 while anotherlimit gear 82 is disengaged from the ratchet 81 for achieving thepurpose of adjusting for positive or reverse operation.

It is to be noted that the ratchet structure 8 of the present inventionis not limited to those disclosed in the preceding three preferredembodiments.

In the present invention, the dial 21 of the turning knob 20 is providedwith the toothed shoulder 211; and the wheel dial 31 of the wheel member30 is also disposed with the toothed shoulder 311. Generally, both ofthe upper and the lower ends of both dials 21, 31 may be each providedwith a flange, i.e., indicating a concavely cross section so to receivethe turning member 40 upon surrounding each dial 21, 31 to avoid theturning member 40 from falling off.

The turning member 40 in the present invention may be related to a beltor a chain with its tooth form to allow it to be engaged with theturning knob 20 and the wheel member 30.

Both of the turning knob 20 and the turning member 30 in the presentinvention may be each related to a gear.

The present invention provides better operating performance since bothof the wheel member 30 and the turning member 40 are within the reach ofthe handle of the wrench 10 where held by the user to directly changethe turning direction without moving the hand.

1. A ratchet wrench including: a wrench with one end provided with apivot hole; a turning knob disposed in the pivot hole of the wrench andformed with a dial; a wheel member being connected to the wrench andincluding a dial thereon and a locking hole therein; a turning memberwith a first end connected to the dial of the turning knob and a secondend connected to the dial of the wheel member, wherein the turningmember is a crescent element with a semi-spherical internal side forsurrounding the turning knob; and two cords each including an endattached to and wound on a related one of the ends of the turning memberand another end fit in the locking hole of the wheel member.